Clean modern homes, antiseptic wipes and the understandable desire to protect small babies against any infection are all part of the cause of the most common form of childhood cancer, a leading expert has concluded after more than 30 years of research.

Childhood acute leukaemia, says the highly respected Prof Mel Greaves, is nothing to do with power lines or nuclear fuel reprocessing stations. Nor is it to do with hot dogs and hamburgers or the Vatican radio mast, as have also been suggested. After the best part of a century of speculation, some of it with little basis in science, Greaves – who recently won the Royal Society’s prestigious Royal Medal – says the cancer is caused by a combination of genetic mutations and a lack of childhood infection.

The best news, says Greaves, is that the cancer is likely to be preventable. And part of the answer could be to ensure children under the age of one have social contact with others, possibly at daycare centres.

Greaves, from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, has compiled evidence from decades of work on acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), which affects one in 2,000 children. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was lethal. Today, 90% of children are cured, although the treatment is lengthy and toxic and can have long-term consequences.

Greaves describes a “triple whammy” that he believes is the cause of ALL. One in 20 children, he says, are born with a genetic mutation that puts them potentially at risk. But they will be fine if their immune system is properly set up. For that to happen, they must encounter benign bacteria or viruses in their first year of life.

Those whose immune systems are not fully functioning because they have not had an early challenge to deal with – and who then later encounter an infection such as a cold or flu – may develop a second genetic mutation that will make them susceptible to the cancer.

ALL, he says, is increasing globally at the rate of about 1% a year. Unlike most diseases, it is increasing in more affluent populations. Something about our modern lifestyles has to be involved, Greaves reasoned. “Infectious disease tracks with poverty,” he said. “The problem is not infection. The problem is lack of infection.”

There is a similar story at work in type 1 diabetes, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple sclerosis and allergies, he says.

ALL rates are low or non-existent in the poorest countries, where families have lots of children and cross-infection is common. One exception is Costa Rica, which has invested heavily in medical schools and its health system, and brought down family sizes from 7.2 children on average to 2.3. They now have significant levels of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, type 1 diabetes and ALL.

In a paper in the journal Nature Reviews Cancer, Greaves has assembled the evidence from his own work and that of colleagues around the world into the genetics, cell biology, immunology, epidemiology and animal modelling of childhood leukaemia.

That includes experiments in mice that have been modified to have the first gene mutation. Those that were kept in clean and sterile conditions and then later transferred into a dirty environment developed the cancer.

Greaves and other scientists are anxious that no parents should feel in any way responsible for their child’s cancer, pointing out that keeping babies away from any source of infection is very normal behaviour – and that there is still an element of chance in developing the two genetic mutations.

The factors that may decrease a baby’s risk, says the paper, are going to a day care centre as a small baby, having older siblings who are likely to bring infections into the home, breastfeeding and probably being born via a vaginal delivery rather than a more sterile caesarean.

Greaves says he hopes the work may lead to some sort of vaccine or drug to prevent childhood leukaemia.

Chris Bunce, professor of translational cancer biology at the University of Birmingham, called Greaves “one of the superstars amongst modern cancer biologists” who had demonstrated that the early mutation putting a child at risk occurred in a cell before birth and now presented “a compelling model” of the way the cancer arises.

Prof Charles Swanton, Cancer Research UK’s chief clinician, said: “This research sheds light on how a form of childhood blood cancer might develop, implicating a complex combination of genetics and early exposure to germs, dirt, and illness.”

But he added: “We want to assure any parents of a child who has or has had leukaemia that there’s nothing that we know of that could have been done to prevent their illness.”

Via : The Guardian

]]>http://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/22/most-common-childhood-cancer-partly-caused-by-lack-of-infection/feed/0The Most Common Cancer in Children Could Actually Be Preventable, Study Showshttp://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/22/the-most-common-cancer-in-children-could-actually-be-preventable-study-shows/
http://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/22/the-most-common-cancer-in-children-could-actually-be-preventable-study-shows/#respondTue, 22 May 2018 19:12:46 +0000http://cancer.baydakh.com/?p=1507

A review of studies has provided some promising clues on the causes of the most common type of cancer in children, and the researcher behind the work says the disease could even be preventable.

According to the data, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a combination of a genetic mutation, and then exposure to a common infection – after the child has experienced a ‘clean’ first year of life.

ALL affects one in 2,000 children, and its rate has been increasing in affluent countries by about 1 percent a year. Even though scientists already knew there were some genetic risk factors, this research gives a solid basis to how the devastating cancer forms.

“I have spent more than 40 years researching childhood leukaemia, and over that time there has been huge progress in our understanding of its biology and its treatment – so that today around 90 per cent of cases are cured,” said the review author Mel Greaves, from the Institute of Cancer Research in London.

“But it has always struck me that something big was missing, a gap in our knowledge – why or how otherwise healthy children develop leukaemia and whether this cancer is preventable.”

Greaves looked at a large collection of papers to determine how and why this cancer forms.

In the review, he discusses how a genetic change in the womb causes something called a pre-leukaemic clone.

Then, in the first year of life, a lack of exposure of microbes stops the immune system from learning how to deal with biological threats correctly.

Finally, in a small number of cases, a common infection triggers the second mutation, leading to the development of ALL.

“The research strongly suggests that ALL has a clear biological cause, and is triggered by a variety of infections in predisposed children whose immune systems have not been properly primed,” said Greaves.

“This body of research is a culmination of decades of work, and at last provides a credible explanation for how the major type of childhood leukaemia develops.”

“It also busts some persistent myths about the causes of leukaemia, such as the damaging but unsubstantiated claims that the disease is commonly caused by exposure to electro-magnetic waves or pollution,” he added.

There was a number of evidence points Greaves used in his review including animal studies that show animals that are bred free of microbes develop leukaemia when exposed to an infection.

He also looked at studies that show children who were breastfed, went to nursery, or had older siblings, have lower rates of leukaemia.

Importantly, Greaves believes that with this information, we could even prevent this type of leukaemia from developing at all.

“A more realistic prospect might be to design a prophylactic vaccine that mimics the protective impact of natural infections in infancy, correcting the deficit in modern societies.”

It’s important to note that we still need to gather more information about this disease, and this review is probably not the final word on the matter.

“We urge parents not to be alarmed by this study – childhood leukaemia is very rare and only around one in 2,000 children will develop it,” explains Alasdair Rankin, from the UK blood cancer charity Bloodwise.

“While developing a strong immune system early in life may slightly further reduce risk, there is nothing that can be currently done to definitively prevent childhood leukaemia.

“As noted by this study, other factors influence its development – including pure chance.”

Of the various market plants, goya is something special. It can help you with a lot of health issues such as diabetes, cancer and high blood pressure.

This plant is also known as KARELA and it’s visually similar to cucumber. It makes wonders for our health. The origins of Karela is from South America and Asia and needs warmth and humidity for growing.

IT CURES MANY THINGS, BUT CANCER TOO!

The expert in anti-aging procedures and cures Dr. Frank Shalleberger discovered Karela many years ago. He suggest that cancer patients should take Karela during their treatment because it stops the cancerous cells growing in human body. He also stated that Karela could kill 98% of cancerous cells.

The Colorado University made a study that examined the effects of goya on humans with cancer. “The outcomes were 5% goya arrangement reduces pancreas malignancy and 64% pancreas tumors. This plant simply wrecks Cancer, Diabetes And High Blood Pressure!”

If you know someone who is struggling with cancer, please submit this information, because they just might save another life and may represent the only hope for survival! Although cancer is considered a complex disease it is important to know that cancer diseases are actually the growth of cancerous cells which leads to weakening of the immune system, increasing the amount of toxic substances in the body. Evidence obtained from significant studies have shown that there are hundreds of known and effective drugs against this disease. Here are some simple protocols that can make miracle in the treatment of cancer.

Baking soda

One teaspoon of baking soda and juice from one lemon, 250 milliliters of water, several times a day will successfully reduce the acidity in the body. Cancer cells can not grow in an alkaline environment.

Sanguinaria Canadensis

This is a perennial herb that contains the alkaloid called Sanguinarin. It has the capacity to destroy cancer cells, and not to destroy healthy cells. It can be used orally and externally as a remedy for skin and other cancers.

Chagas

This is a medicinal fungus whose action is studied for years. It is proven that it has the capacity to modulate the immune system and has anticancer properties.

Vitamin D

Monitoring the quantity of vitamin D in the blood and its balance can help prevent cancer and help fight the cancer. In a study from 2006 it is noted that the small amounts of vitamin D is associated with reduced survival rate of cancer patients, especially in patients who are in post menopausal period.

Tea potion of Essiac

The original mixture of tea is an old recipe of Indian natives who have used it hundreds of years ago. A Canadian nurse learned from them the Tea recipe and started to share it to patients fighting cancer after which the patients started incredibly quick recovery. This Tea is a combination of several anticancer plants and plants that clean the body, and that’s all that is needed for the patient suffering from cancer. All you have to do is to drink it several times a day.

Linseed oil and young cheese

Dr. Johanna Budwig from Germany, biochemist and doctor is a woman who came up with the natural way of treating cancer at a rate of 90 percent cure, method which she practiced for fifty years. The combination of the oil and the young cheese gives the body essential fatty acids and lipoproteins that reduce tumor and restore the balance of the organism.

Cannabis oil– Cannabis sativa subsp. sativa var. Indica

Cannabinoids in cannabis oil kill cancerous cells. Just like other herbal preparations it does not destroy healthy cells. There are a number of studies that have confirmed the importance of the cannabis oil in the treatment of many cancers including breast cancer.

Iodine

85 percent of the people of the world population have too little iodine in the body. Because of this increased quantity production of estrogen in the body , you must check often the amount of iodine in the blood. (For not allowing estrogen to create a mutation of cells and increase the possibility of creating a cyst or tumor).

Melatonin

Melatonin is a powerful inhibitor of creation of cancer cells. Laboratory studies have shown that melatonin “puts breast canser cells to sleep” and reduces their growth by 70 percent. Melatonin also prevents the negative effect of estrogen from the food we eat. (Milk, meat, fish and seafood).

Broccoli kept suckerless

This vegetable has anticancer properties and has been shown that the offspring of broccoli has a hundred times more protein than other similar vegetables. They contain sulforofan which not only kills cancer cells but also reduces their growth and spread in the body, and this action shows in many cancers.

]]>http://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/21/scientists-confirm-these-10-things-fight-cancer-7-is-illegal/feed/0Cancer cells thrive in acidity. Restore the Body’s pH levels with Just One Superfoodhttp://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/20/cancer-cells-thrive-in-acidity-restore-the-bodys-ph-levels-with-just-one-superfood/
http://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/20/cancer-cells-thrive-in-acidity-restore-the-bodys-ph-levels-with-just-one-superfood/#respondSun, 20 May 2018 00:52:04 +0000http://cancer.baydakh.com/?p=1497

Wheatgrass is an Amazing SUPER FOOD that is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals (including thirteen essential ones and dozens of trace elements and enzymes). Wheat grass proponent Charles Schnabel claimed in the 1940s that “fifteen pounds of wheat grass is equal in overall nutritional value to 350 pounds of ordinary garden vegetables”, a ratio of 1:23. It is also a great source of Chlorophyll, which has been shown to naturally restore the body’s pH levels. Since most people, due to diet and environment, have an overly acidic body composition, the Alkalizing benefits of Wheat Grass (find it here) are numerous and impactful.

Due to the Amazing properties of Wheat Grass, it can offer the following health benefits:

Oxygenates the body: Chlorophyll creates a highly oxygenated environment in your body which helps increase Alkaline pH levels and helps eliminate Acidosis (a common problem in our society due to an overly acidic diet and environmental carcinogens). Cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment but cease to exist in Alkaline environments. Chlorophyll also helps:

Detoxify the body
Helps prevent premature aging (due to antioxidant capabilities and presence of super-oxide dismutase)
Antioxidants: such as flavonoids and Phenolic Acid help eliminate toxins and increases immunity and energy. Wheatgrass is a natural liver cleanser and blood strengthener.

Digestion and Gut Health: Enzymes help to support overall gut health. Also, has been shown to help treat hyperlipidemia.

Safety: While generally considered safe, most efficacy and safety information come from the testimony of long term users not long term scientific studies. Overall, wheat grass should be considered safe for all people (some individuals with grass allergies have reported adverse reactions such as swelling in the throat and nausea). If you are pregnant you should consult your physician before taking any dietary supplements including Wheat grass.

For Wheat Grass that is guaranteed organic and sources from trusted farms and ranches, try Living Traditionally’s Organic Wheat grass from the Living Traditionally Storehttp://www.livingtraditionallystore.com. If you are an athlete, trying to lose weight and/or gain muscle consider adding both Wheat Grass and Organic Spirulina Powder from Living Traditionally for an energy inducing supplement loaded with Proteins and Amino Acids (from vegan sources). It will also help balance pH levels and fight free radicals as these products are loaded with antioxidants as well!

]]>http://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/20/cancer-cells-thrive-in-acidity-restore-the-bodys-ph-levels-with-just-one-superfood/feed/03 Girls Battling Cancer Posed For A Picture, But Their Updated Photo Will Leave You In Tearshttp://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/18/3-girls-battling-cancer-posed-for-a-picture-but-their-updated-photo-will-leave-you-in-tears/
http://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/18/3-girls-battling-cancer-posed-for-a-picture-but-their-updated-photo-will-leave-you-in-tears/#respondFri, 18 May 2018 19:20:42 +0000http://cancer.baydakh.com/?p=1494In 2014, photographers Lora Scantling and Christy Goodger sent out an open call on Facebook that would change their lives forever.

“My stepdad was battling lung cancer at the time and I wanted to do something that had an impact,” Scantling told ABC. “I thought, ‘Oh how sweet would it be and I put a post on Facebook asking if anyone knew of little kids battling cancer.’”

In the years since, she’s photographed dozens of childhood cancer survivors for a project she calls “Little Heroes.” But three special little girls from Oklahoma stood out from the rest. Their photograph, featuring all three bald, dressed like angels, and hugging each other close, went viral shortly after it was taken.

Goodger and Scantling Photography

“They walked in and the second they saw each other they were like, ‘Hey, you don’t have any hair either. You’re going through what I’m going through,’” Scantling recalled. “Everyone was quiet at first, but after a few minutes they were sharing stories from the hospital.”

Six-year-old Rheann Franklin, center, was battling a rare brain tumor. Five-year-old Ainsley Peters, on the right, was facing leukemia. And Rylie Hughey, on the left, was only three, but living with kidney cancer.

Then, less than a year after the original photo was taken, the girls reunited for another photo shoot. It marked a major milestone for all three girls — they were in remission.

Goodger and Scantling Photography

“It was just like a bunch of friends getting together,” Scantling remembered. “They were bouncing off the walls, having fun, like, ‘Oh my best friends are here.’”

Then she decided to make it an annual tradition. Scantling says she plans to keep photographing Rheann, Ainsley, and Rylie throughout their lives, and hopes they will continue to inspire people around the world.

Goodger and Scantling Photography

“If I had to sum up Lora’s photos in one word, it would be ‘hope,’” said Rylie’s mother. “Strength comes in numbers, and I hope that another family in the middle of a battle with cancer can look at the photo and be inspired.”

For this year’s photo, the girls were joined by a special guest — three-year-old Connor Lloyd.

Goodger and Scantling Photography

Scantling is Lloyd’s family photographer, and when she heard the young boy had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, she invited him to pose with the girls.

“Sometimes you never know how much time you have,” she explained to his mother. She adds that Connor is responding well to treatment, so we should all expect to see him in the next photo as well.

Goodger and Scantling Photography

“Connor will be in treatment for another three years, and yet he’s always so happy and brave. Just like the girls, he’s an inspiration,” she said. “I’ll keep taking this photo every year for as long as they want me to. They’re inspiring to all of us.”

An Italian oncologist, called Tulio Simoncini, has a theory that cancer is caused by a fungus known as Candida albicans.

He states that:

“Cancer is a fungus, named Candida albicans, and it can be cured with sodium bicarbonate”.

His treatment is extremely simple, as he says that this disease should be treated by alkalizing the tumor and the organism. This can be achieved by using only one cheap and affordable ingredient, baking soda. It effectively reduces the tumor and prevents metastases.

His theory lies on 4 simple elements:

1.Acidic bodies, since they are related to various health issues, including cancer.

2. The first defense line is beneficial bacteria, as, during the night, they digest yeast, fungus, and microbes which have entered the body during the day. The ideal food for beneficial bacteria is actually Candida albicans.

3. The habitat of beneficial bacteria is actually the intestines.

These bacteria stimulate 85% of the immunoreactions to release anti-cancer vitamins like vitamin K, folic acid, biotin, B-12, from foods and form a compound called sodium butyrate which forces cancer cells to destroy themselves.

In the case of increased acidity, this function of the beneficial bacteria is impeded.

4. Baking soda is excellent in alkalizing the body, as it acts as an antacid, which helps ingestion and is included in multiple preparations. Baking soda is inexpensive and can be found in grocery stores for around $2 per pound.

Furthermore, Candida is anaerobe, so it needs oxygen for energy. When in the bloodstream, it colonizes certain body area and greatly reduces the levels of oxygen there.

Thus, the local cells are not destroyed, but change the generation of energy to a system which does not use oxygen.

Next, as cancer cells do not need oxygen for energy production from the food molecules, this system suits them. Back in 1931, Otto Warburg won a Nobel Prize for discovering this feature of cancer cells, and the fact that their biggest enemy is oxygen!

Candida Albicans successfully escapes the intestines, and through the bloodstream, may travel all around the body. Cinnamon and oregano oil have been proven to be able to remove it from the bloodstream.

The use of cinnamon has helped in 25% of the cases of people with type-2 Diabetics.

The explanation is that fungus remains on the outside linings of cells, disabling the vital receptor sites, and the insulin receptor sites are affected in the case of diabetes.

Additionally, Candida releases a waste product similar to sugar, so in the case of high blood sugar levels, patients are more susceptible to cancer and have diminished chances to treat it.

Cancer Watch released a research which showed that the risk of breast cancer is increased by 100% in women who have used antibiotics more than 25 times in their life.

The illness treated with antibiotics weakens their immune system, and the levels of beneficial bacteria are reduced as well. In this case, the environment in the gut is perfect for Candida, and it has better chances to enter the bloodstream.

This famous Italian oncologist also claims that Candida, which is the cause of cancer, is disabled in an alkaline state of the body. The first thing everyone should do is to purchase baking soda and use it to treat this disease.

Unfortunately, even though his efforts were acknowledged and appreciated all around the world, he was struck off in his country.

With 350+ pages, you will be able to replace all of the toxic products and medications in your home with healthier, all-natural alternatives.

You will be confident in knowing exactly what is in the products your family uses and happy with the money you will save every month.

]]>http://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/18/this-oncologist-makes-ground-breaking-discovery-how-to-cure-cancer-with-baking-soda/feed/0More Doctors Confessing To Intentionally Diagnosing Healthy People With Cancer To Make Moneyhttp://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/13/more-doctors-confessing-to-intentionally-diagnosing-healthy-people-with-cancer-to-make-money/
http://cancer.baydakh.com/2018/05/13/more-doctors-confessing-to-intentionally-diagnosing-healthy-people-with-cancer-to-make-money/#respondSun, 13 May 2018 19:55:31 +0000http://cancer.baydakh.com/?p=1483

While this may be hard to believe for many, doctors do not always have our best interest in mind. What’s worse, is that we are now living in a world where disease has become a profitable empire and in turn, many people are being falsely diagnosed in the name of money.

This may seem like a very grim circumstance, however, there is good news: with modern information being more easily accessible, many of these doctors are being caught for the frauds that they are.

As one example, Dr. Farid Fata openly admitted in court a few years back that she had INTENTIONALLY and incorrectly diagnosed healthy people with cancer. Furthermore, she admitted that she had administered chemotherapy to such patients to obtain profits.

Of course, his patients were in complete shock. Could you imagine finding out that you had been wrongfully diagnosed with a deadly disease, and then filled with toxic chemicals to line the wallets of crooks?

“Many of these unscrupulous Physicians are like businessmen without a conscience. The only difference is they have your health and trust in their hands–a very dangerous combination when money is involved,” said Dr. Sayed Mohammed, a retired Oncologist who admits seeing the trend more than a decade ago.

According to the government, Fata kept his scam going from 2009-2016, and included a patient load of 1,200 people. During the time his scheme continued, he received $62 million dollars from Medicare. Because of this, a U.S attorney sought life in prison for the doctor.

And while this isn’t the sort of behavior you would expect from your trusted physician, it’s important to realize that this is just the sort of thing that goes on on a regular basis.
Think about it: patients with prostate cancer are given false prognoses by their doctors due to the disease’s association with a certain protein that is produced by the prostate gland. With that being said, only 3% of patients die from prostate cancer. However, with 90% of doctors encouraging expensive treatments for the disease, they are given commission for those that endure it. Of course, they don’t inform the patient that in 97% of patients, the cancer never spreads outside of the gland to cause harm.

For women, they are told time and time again to have hysterectomies to cure cancer and various other ailments. Sadly, this is not the truth. In fact, research has shown that there is no improvement in survival regardless of how aggressive such treatments are.
You see, there isn’t any profit in preventing disease, because the industry thrives off of the lives of those who are sick.

As long as this is the case, we will continue to see more and more doctors caught misdiagnosing their patients with horrific diseases, and then given a treatment that destroys their mind, body, and soul. How long will we stand idly by as this takes place?

Helping your body eliminate estrogen safely can help you lose excess body fat and reduce cancer risk. Estrogen is a problem for men as well as women due to multiple factors, especially the huge amounts of chemical estrogens we are exposed to in our daily lives.

Did you know that there are chemical estrogens in plastic bottles, cosmetics, shampoo and personal care products, oil-based coatings, pesticides, and animal hormones?

That’s right, but the negative effects of estrogen on the body don’t just come from the environment. The ineffective way we metabolize estrogen is directly linked to prostate and breast cancer risk. It also produces poor body composition and inhibits fat loss.

Studies show that genetics and obesity contribute to about 30 percent of the cancers that affect the sex organs (breast, prostate, ovarian), but the cause of the remaining 70 percent is still unclear. It is likely due to chemical estrogen exposure and problems with metabolism due to diet and a sedentary lifestyle.

The solution is to live a lifestyle that both improves elimination of estrogen and minimizes exposure to chemical estrogens. This article will tell you why and how you can do this by changing your lifestyle in the following ten ways:

1) Improve Gastrointestinal Health

2) Improve Diet

3) Decrease Body Fat

4) Use Phytoestrogens To ImproveEstrogen Detoxification

5) Stop Testosterone From Turning into Estrogen

6) Improve Estrogen Metabolism

7) Ensure Complete Elimination

8) Supplement With Essential Nutrients

9) Watch What You Drink

10) Limit Chemical Estrogen Exposure

Estrogen: The Basics

Estrogen is a hormone that is produced primarily in the ovaries in women and in the testes in men. For men, it plays an important role in sperm production and bone maintenance. Estrogen is also produced by other tissues in both men and women, including fat and the brain.

The amount of estrogen needed by men to support these functions is very small, and men tend to have excess estrogen in their systems for two reasons. First, an enzyme called aromatase that is found in tissues throughout the body will turn testosterone into estrogen. Aromatase is found in body fat, so men with a higher body fat percentage will produce more aromatase and therefore have higher estrogen levels and lower testosterone.

It’s possible to reduce aromatase by eating or supplementing with nutrients that do this naturally. There are also drugs that inhibit aromatase that are used to prevent breast and prostate cancer, but it’s best to take the natural route without consuming synthetic drugs.

Second, men have excess estrogen because of the chemical estrogens in the environment, such as BPA and phthalates. BPA is a petroleum based chemical that mimics estrogen in the body. For example, one stud found that BPA exposure led to lower testosterone and poor sexual function in men because it inhibited the production of androstenedione—the hormone from which testosterone is produced.

Phthalates are another chemical estrogen that are used in plastics and many personal care products such as shampoo and lotion. They contribute to excess estrogen levels and need to be eliminated from the body as safely and quickly as possible in order to minimize the damage they have on tissues.

How Estrogen Is Metabolized By The Liver

Estrogen is metabolized by the liver. The liver converts excess estrogens into compounds that can be excreted by the body. The catch is there are three pathways through which estrogen can be metabolized. One is a “toxic” pathway that is linked to cancer development, the second is unfavorable for health, and the third is more benign and preferable.

If your body can convert estrogens along what is called the 2-hydroxy pathway it will be healthier and you’ll decrease your cancer risk, whereas if your body converts along the 16-alpha-hydroxy pathway it will be at greater risk of cancer.

Don’t worry about the chemical names of the pathways, just remember that the C-2 pathway is healthier and the C-16 pathway and the C-4 pathway are unfavorable. The solution is to nutritionally support conversion of estrogen along the C-2 pathway, which can be initiated by ensuring you have a healthy gut.

1) Improve Gastrointestinal Health

Poor gastrointestinal health can inhibit excretion of unwanted estrogen from the body and promote its reabsorption. A healthy gut with dietary fiber in the form lignan, such as flaxseeds, can bind to estrogen in the digestive tract so that it will be excreted from the body. Dietary fiber also reduces the amount of an enzyme (called B-glucouronidase) that uncouples or breaks apart bound estrogen that is on its way out of the body. When the estrogen breaks free in the large intestine, it re-enters circulation and is not removed from the body. This is a bad situation.

The solution is to eat adequate fiber and include lignans in the diet, including flax, leafy greens, and bran (oat, rye, barley). Eating plenty of probiotic foods or taking a probiotic is essential because it will increase the “good bacteria” in the gut and support neurotransmitter function.

2) Improve Diet With Low Carb, High-Protein, Omega-3 Fats

To avoid excess estrogen, you need to manage insulin because doing so is better for body composition, and persistently high insulin produces a poor endocrine profile that can inhibit estrogen metabolism.

Getting your carbs from vegetable and fruit sources will provide the lignans and fiber needed for gut health and increase antioxidant levels, which can abolish free radicals that produced by estrogen that goes down the C-16 pathway.

Omega-3 fats, which are found in fish, have been shown to promote the C-2 pathway over the 16 pathway, particularly EPA omega-3 fatty acids. On the flip side, diets low in omega-3s have resulted in estrogen being metabolized primarily through the C-16 pathway.

A high-protein diet will produce a better body composition for most people. Plus, low protein diets have been shown to decrease activity of something called cytochrome P450 that metabolizes estrogen. The amino acids lysine and threonine have been shown to support liver function and since estrogen is metabolized by the liver, it is thought that these proteins can help get rid of estrogen from the body.

Lysine and threonine are found in meat, fish, beans, eggs, and some seeds (sesame, fenugreek). Sesame seeds also provide fiber and fenugreek helps lower the insulin response to carbs, making both good additions to your diet.

3) Decrease Body Fat

The more fat you have, the more estrogen you’ll have because fat tissue increases levels of the aromatase enzyme that turns testosterone to estrogen. Decreasing body fat and building lean mass are key to cancer prevention and estrogen elimination.

Another way to protect the tissues from circulating estrogen is to keep it bound to sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). When it is bound to SHBG, estrogen is not available to bind with cellular receptors and won’t have its estrogenic impact. Flaxseed hulls are especially good at increasing SHBG (as well as inhibiting aromatase).

4) Use Phytoestrogens To Promote the C-2 Pathway

Include foods with phytoestrogens in your diet because they will take natural and chemical estrogens out of play in the body. Phytoestrogens are plant-based compounds that can bind to estrogen receptors, but they have about 1/1000th of the effect on the body as real or chemical estrogen. When phytoestrogens bind to estrogen receptors they basically take up the parking sport of the true estrogen, and keep it from exerting its effect.

Lignans and isoflavones are the main phytoestrogens, and in addition to binding with estrogen receptors, they can increase SHBG levels (protects the body by binding to estrogen), decrease aromatase (prevents testosterone turning into estrogen), and shift metabolism of estrogen away from the C-16 pathway to the C-2 pathway (the safer pathway).

The best phytoestrogens to include in the diet are flax, sesame, leafy greens, kudzu, alfalfa, clover, licorice root, and legumes.

5) Block Aromatase and Stop Testosterone From Turning into Estrogen

Blocking aromatase is key for getting rid of estrogen because it plays the main role in producing estrogen in men. If aromatase is present, there are two chances for estrogen to be produced in the body.

First, the hormone androstenedione will be turned into testosterone unless aromatase is present in which case it will be turned into estrogen. Then, aromatase will turn testosterone into estrogen as well.

Nutrients that have a proven effect on aromatase include selenium, melatonin, zinc, green tea, and citrus flavonones—substances found in orange and grapefruit rinds along with tomato skins.

6) Improve Estrogen Metabolism By Promoting the C-2 Pathway

Promoting the C-2 pathway of estrogen metabolism is probably the most important thing you can do to prevent cancer. The first step of estrogen elimination is for enzymes to initiate metabolism by joining the estrogen molecule. This will happen at either the 2-carbon position or the 16-carbon position of the molecule, which determines the pathway the estrogen will head down.

The C-2 pathway produces very weak estrogenic activity and is termed “good” estrogen. In contrast, the C-16 pathway produces robust estrogenic activity and promotes tissue damage that leads to cancer.

Key nutrients for supporting the C-2 pathway are EPA fish oils, phytoestrogens, and of special importance, B vitamins and a substance called DIM. The B vitamins, particularly B6, B12, and folic acid promote the C-2 pathway. B6 is also known to decrease gene activity once estrogen is bound to a receptor, meaning this vitamin can inhibit cell damage and cancer development.

DIM is a compound found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower. It is often taken in supplement form because you would need to eat large quantities of these vegetables daily in order to provide sufficient DIM to have an effect on estrogen elimination.

7) Ensure Complete Elimination of Estrogen

Once you shift your estrogen elimination to the C-2 pathway you have to make sure it gets excreted from the body. Two things can happen along the way out that cause big problems. First, estrogen that is heading down the C-2 pathway can be easily turned into something called quinones, which are “highly reactive” and can damage DNA and cause cancer.

In order to avoid the production of quinones you must have adequate amounts of two nutrients—magnesium and SAMe. This process of metabolizing estrogen to avoid quinones is called methylation and is the first place that things can go wrong on the estrogen elimination pathway.

As estrogen is heading out of the intestine, it needs to be bound to glucuronic acid, but there is a “bad” intestinal bacteria that contains an enzyme that breaks estrogen apart from the glucuronic acid. This is the second place estrogen detoxification can go wrong.

When the “bad” bacteria, called glucouronidase, uncouples the bond between estrogen and glucuronic acid, estrogen re-enters circulation, effectively raising estrogen levels in the body and damaging tissue. To avoid this, you need a healthy gut, which you can get by supporting the probiotic bacteria in your gut and eating lots of fiber and lignans.

8) Supplement With Essential Nutrients

To review, the essential nutrients to help metabolize estrogen are the B vitamins, zinc, omega-3 fish oils, DIM (nutrient found in cruciferous vegetables), green tea, magnesium, selenium, and melatonin.

Vitamin E is another potent antioxidant that aids estrogen elimination. Low vitamin E is associated with elevated estrogen and it has been shown to inhibit the growth of breast and prostate cancer cells.

9) Watch What You Drink

Alcohol increases estrogen levels in men and women, and it has been shown to decrease testosterone as well. For optimal estrogen metabolism, it’s recommended that you eliminate all alcohol besides certain red wine.

Sardinian and Spanish wines are rich in antioxidants that help remove estrogens. Other good choices are Pinot and Merlot.

10) Limit Chemical Estrogen Exposure

Avoiding chemical estrogens is one of the most important strategies for preventing cancer and protecting yourself. If you were able to have no contact with chemical estrogens, and you had good nutrition, a lean body composition, and a large proportion of muscle mass, it is very unlikely you’d have excess estrogen or be at risk of cancer.

Unfortunately, chemical estrogens are everywhere. It is only recently that the mainstream medical community has started to seriously consider the connection between cancer and the environment the industry has created with the lax regulation of estrogenic chemicals.

There is even a movement in public health advocacy that government regulatory bodies and chemical companies need to take action to reduce environmental toxins. Although there is an awareness that the responsibility of reducing cancer risk shouldn’t be on the individual because we cannot completely avoid contact with chemical estrogens, the reality is that you have to take responsibility for eliminating estrogen from your body and the bodies of your loved ones.

When Pam Leonard felt a lump in her breast last November, she hesitated, debating whether to get testing to see if she had cancer.

She thought of her insurance policy, which carries a deductible of $2,600. She knew she would also have to spend as much as $5,700 on medical bills that would not be covered by an individual policy she bought under the Affordable Care Act. “I went back and forth for a couple of weeks,” Ms. Leonard recalled.

“I had to do something,” she said. “It didn’t go away.”

She eventually got a mammogram and ultrasound, confirming a cancer diagnosis. That led to a lumpectomy and weeks of chemotherapy. Ms. Leonard, 58, a teacher in Kenosha, Wis., will soon begin radiation treatment.

High-deductible plans have become commonplace, a deterrent used by companies to lower health care costs by discouraging unnecessary tests or treatments. Evidence for that link has mounted since the Great Recession 10 years ago, when deductibles began to soar: People increasingly deferred medical care, putting off elective surgeries and doctors’ visits. National health care spending slowed as a result.

But a recent study of women with insurance plans that carried deductibles of at least $1,000 underscores the danger to consumers required to shoulder a greater share of those costs.

Women who had just learned they had breast cancer were more likely to delay getting care if their deductibles were high, the study showed. A review of several years of medical claims exposed a pattern: Women confronting such immediate expenses put off getting diagnostic imaging and biopsies, postponing treatment.

And they delayed beginning chemotherapy by an average of seven months, said Dr. J. Frank Wharam, a Harvard researcher and one of the authors of the study, published earlier this year in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

“Slight delays added up to long delays,” Dr. Wharam said.

While the study did not look at how the women fared after treatment, cancer doctors warn that even short gaps between diagnosis and treatment can affect the outcome. Survival rates are higher for patients with some cancers if they are treated early.

“What we see here is an unintended consequence of sharing costs,” said Dr. Ethan Basch, the director of cancer outcomes research at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, who was not involved in the study.

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As an oncologist, Dr. Basch said he frequently sees patients making decisions based on financial considerations. If they face high out-of-pocket costs, “they’re of a mind-set to avoid visits, expensive treatments,” he said. “They have a fear.”

At Susan G. Komen, a breast cancer charity, more than half of the questions to the group’s helpline are about financial assistance, said Susan Brown, senior director of education and patient support. The organization and its affiliates provide modest grants, including one to Ms. Leonard to help pay for a test not covered by her insurance, and refer patients to other resources for aid.

“They have people all the time talking about stopping their treatment or delaying treatment,” even when an individual has had an abnormal screening and needs a work-up for a final diagnosis, Ms. Brown said.

When Ms. Leonard tried to talk with the hospital where she was getting treatment about her medical bills, she found the staff largely unsympathetic. “Because I had insurance, I was told I didn’t need a financial advocate,” she said. Instead, she relied on her contacts at Susan G. Komen and extensive research to find other sources of help.

About half of all covered workers in the United States are now enrolled in plans with a deductible of at least $1,000, and many must pay several thousand dollars in medical bills before their plans even start to cover their care. About 11 percent of covered workers have a deductible of at least $3,000, according to a survey of employer benefits by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Employers are increasingly offering these plans — and more frequently giving their workers no other option.

While high-deductible plans are meant to encourage people to think twice about whether a test or treatment is necessary and if it can be done at a lower price, “it’s also frankly to impede their use of these services,” said Dr. Peter Bach, the director of the Center for Health Policy and Outcomes at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

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Rochelle Ness is fighting to get her insurer to pay for the injections needed to help prevent infections during chemotherapy. She owes about $25,000 in medical bills.CreditJenn Ackerman for The New York Times

The plans are succeeding in reducing the use of care. “The question is, at what cost?” Dr. Bach said.

High-deductible plans pose a problem, say researchers who have studied them, because patients do not always distinguish between the care they should get and what they can do without.

Nir Menachemi, a health policy professor at Indiana University who recently published an analysis of high-deductible plans in Health Affairs, said numerous studies show people are more likely to forgo preventive care when they have a high deductible — even if that care is free. High-deductible plans also depress the number of doctor’s office visits, according to several studies.

The study of breast cancer patients is the among first to look at the behavior of people suddenly facing a life-threatening disease, where the recommended treatment tends to be straightforward and not overly subjective, Dr. Wharam said.

Unlike people with chronic illnesses, these women did not expect to have significant expenses and may not be as prepared to navigate the systems. “Diabetes patients are used to getting bills in the mail,” he said.

Some employers try to help by funding special savings accounts, but many people don’t have the income to set aside money. “For most Americans, the lack of savings combined with higher deductibles makes it really difficult,” said Stacie Dusetzina, an associate professor of both health policy and cancer research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The plans make care least accessible to those with the least amount of savings and income, Dr. Bach said: “We treat health care as a luxury good.”

At the Samfund, a charity that provides financial assistance to young people with cancer, “we see a lot of people who aren’t getting the care they need,” said Samantha Eisenstein Watson, the organization’s founder and chief executive.

Many approach the charity only when they’re close to being evicted from an apartment or awash in medical bills. “The cost has wreaked such havoc on their life,” she said.

Two years ago, when Rochelle Ness was 37, with three children under 6 years old, she learned she had breast cancer. The policy she had through her husband’s job had a deductible of $2,250 and required she pay a total of $11,500 toward her yearly medical bills.

She did not know how she would come up with the money, but having lost two family members to breast cancer, she did not consider delaying treatment. “That was scarier to me,” she said.

Now saddled with medical debt, Ms. Ness is also fighting to get her insurer to pay for the six Neulasta injections needed to help prevent infections during chemotherapy.

Her husband’s employer did not offer a savings account to accompany the high-deductible plan, and they still owe about $25,000. “We have maxed out our credit cards trying to pay medical expenses,” she said.

Ms. Ness, who received financial assistance from the Samfund, said she is now trying to come up with the money for additional treatments, including physical therapy and a hearing aid for the hearing loss resulting from chemotherapy.

Living paycheck to paycheck, the family is struggling to find any extra money to pay for their children to go camping or join a sports team.

“We were able to manage our medical bills back then,” she said. “It’s nearly impossible right now.”

Correction:May 7, 2018

An earlier version of this article misspelled the maiden name of the founder and chief executive of Samfund, a charity that provides financial assistance to young people with cancer. She is Samantha Eisenstein — not Eisentein — Watson.